The general principles of European Union law - a source of inspiration for the development of a modern administrative law in the Republic of Moldova

To attain the quality of public administration that Moldova needs in the 21st century, the upcoming modernization of public administration must include the development of a modern, sophisticated administrative law. The general principles of European Union law, unwritten principles reflecting the common European legal heritage that have been worked out and elaborated in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Justice, present a valuable source of inspiration to meet this challenge. Most principles serve to protect human rights or to implement the rule of law in the Union. The latter group includes the principles of legality, legal certainty and clarity, the protection of legitimate expectations and a couple of specific principles for a fair administrative procedure (in particular the right to be heard, the right of access to one’s file and the obligation of the authority to state reasons). Of particular interest are those principles that focus on ensuring the effectiveness, the „effet utile” of the law - a central concern in a system based on the rule of law